February 2011 Update Bulletin

Matt TabakThursday, January 27, 2011

ome one, come all, to the glorious spectacle that is the Update Bulletin! As we approach springtime in my part of the Multiverse, I am reminded that Magic is, at its heart, a game of change. Formats change. Cards change. Rules change. But through all this, one thing is constant. That constant is, of course, change. So let's get to it.

We have two new keyword abilities thanks to Mirrodin Besieged, one for each side of the war raging between the Mirrans and the Phyrexians. A popular casual format got an overhaul as EDH compleated—er ... completed its evolution into Commander. And we still found time to poke at some existing cards, clarify some existing rules, and hopefully change things for the better.

We're a little light on functional Oracle changes this time. There are two explanations for this: One, Oracle is nearing perfection under my guidance and soon updates will be a thing of the past. Two, there are some substantial proposed changes that I want more time to research before making a move. It's definitely one of those.

Before we dive in, I'd like to send a special shout-out to the many players out there who sent in questions and suggestions regarding the Comprehensive Rulebook or the Oracle wording of certain cards. As most of my time is spent focusing on future sets, it's enormously helpful to have people spot things that I wouldn't be able to. Of particular note is the Rules Theory and Templating forums that are part of our Community site. They may be crazy, but they're good.

Oh! One other thing... I've recently created a mostly-Magic related Twitter feed where others can sign up to hear my insane ramblings in small, bite-sized chunks. If such a thing interests you, you can follow me at @TabakRules.

This Oracle update will go live on January 27. The Comprehensive Rulebook updates will follow shortly thereafter, likely next week. The CR is going through a full editing and review process, so the changes you read about here may change before final publication. See, I told you.